The sky gradually darkened, the city bustling with traffic.
The phone's location wasn't stationary at the mall; it was moving steadily towards the outskirts.
Xu Junyue drove, tracking the location of the two. Throughout this, Tong Yang never received a reply from "Yan Qing."
Even if "Yan Qing" looped back to half an hour ago, she wouldn't know that Tong Yang had already pinpointed their approximate location via GPS.
Ye Huai said, "They're moving at a decent speed; they must have transportation too."
Tong Yang nodded, narrowing her eyes.
In Yan Qing's phone, the initial message from Liang Xi said they were in an underground parking lot. That was likely no coincidence.
However, neither "Yan Qing" nor Liang Xi should know how to drive. Besides them, there must be someone else accompanying them, and this person was most likely also from the parallel world, perhaps one of the fifty sent to the real world since childhood, just like He Jingjing.
"There should be someone else with them besides those two," Tong Yang reminded.
Since there weren't enough seats in the car, Xu Junyue's father, Officer Xu, had come along. The young officer who had been with them stayed behind at Half Moon Manor to prevent any further incidents.
Hearing this, Police Officer Lin asked gravely, "An accomplice?"
"Most likely."
Police Officer Wan couldn't help but sigh, "I saw that child Liang Xi not long ago. To think..."
Officer Xu, sitting in the passenger seat, glanced at them through the rearview mirror and asked, "Isn't anyone going to explain this to me?"
"I still don't know anything about what's going on."
Xu Junyue scoffed, "Old man, I told you long ago that my sister's disappearance was related to the parallel world. You didn't believe me yourself. What explanation do you want to hear now? Stubborn old mule."
"Just drive and keep your mouth shut."
"Hmph." Xu Junyue rolled her eyes dismissively.
Police Officer Lin said, "Brother Xu, we've been instructed by higher-ups to keep this matter confidential. Please don't ask too many questions."
Officer Xu was the most senior among the three of them, and the other two treated him with utmost respect.
"Tsk." Xu Junyue shook her head and sighed. "Old Xu, been a cop for half your life, yet you know less about what's going on than I do."
Officer Xu glared at her. If she weren't driving, he'd probably have kicked her seat.
But Xu Junyue really had a sharp tongue. No wonder her relationship with her Old Xu was so poor. If it were good, that would be strange.
Police Officers Lin and Wan also wore awkward expressions.
"Xu Junyue, focus on driving," Police Officer Lin chided.
"Got it, Sister Lin."
Officer Xu's face instantly fell.
This Xu Junyue, she acted chummy with everyone, except with her Old Xu, where she had to contradict him at every turn.
"The phone's location has stopped moving," Ye Huai's voice came through.
Tong Yang frowned slightly. "Where?"
"Erlang Mountain in the outskirts."
"Erlang Mountain?" Tong Yang murmured. "What kind of place is that?"
Although she had visited many scenic spots in the capital, she had never heard of Erlang Mountain.
Ye Huai explained, "It's nominally a privately owned mountain. Rumor has it there was an experimental base there decades ago."
"A privately owned mountain? How is that possible?"
Was this the capital, where gold was found everywhere? Even mountains could be privately owned?
"Mountains cannot be privately owned; they belong to the state. But they can be contracted to individuals. Erlang Mountain's individual usage lease is for two hundred years."
Tong Yang asked, "Can we find out who the individual contractor is?"
"Yes, wait a moment."
"Okay."
As time passed, the sky grew darker.
They had already left the city center and arrived in the outskirts.
Cars came and went on the winding, long highway. The streetlights lining both sides cast mottled shadows on the glass. The car window was cracked open, and the evening wind blew freely against their faces.
They were about ten minutes away from Erlang Mountain by car.
While waiting for Ye Huai's search results, Tong Yang checked the gossip chat group.
Due to the growing disparity in time flow between the two worlds, it was already night in 2024, while less than forty minutes had passed in 2026.
[I wonder how things are going on Sister Tong's end? The Langchuan police have cleared the accident scene.]
[Ergou... The parallel world is truly despicable...]
[Wah... classes start tomorrow, what should I do?]
In 2026, it was still the last make-up weekend before National Day.
Studying is for Making Money: [Found the location of Liang Xi and the parallel world's Yan Qing.]
[Great! Sister Tong, hurry up and eliminate them!]
[They really deserve to die!]
[I originally thought they were versions of ourselves from another world, and maybe we didn't need to reject them so violently. Maybe coexistence was possible. But they don't see us as human at all, trampling on our lives so wantonly. Over thirty lives!]
Studying is for Making Money: [I will resolve this as soon as possible.]
But before that, she needed to figure out all the information about "Yan Qing" entering the time loop. Otherwise, it would definitely be a future calamity for the real world.
"The individual contractor for Erlang Mountain is named Gao Changdong. He owns several companies, including two hospitals and a sanatorium." Ye Huai's voice paused for a moment. "Including the sanatorium where I was recuperating not long ago."
Tong Yang's brow furrowed tightly. "Have you met him?"
"Yes. He has business dealings with Ye Tianlin."
Related to Ye Tianlin? Things seemed to be getting complicated.
Ever since learning that people with body parts from another world wouldn't disappear after death in either world, Tong Yang had begun to suspect Ye Tianlin's true identity.
Since Ye Huai wasn't from the parallel world, there was a sixty percent chance Ye Tianlin was from the parallel world.
Having business dealings with Ye Tianlin, and potentially connections with the parallel world's Yan Qing and Liang Xi, Gao Changdong might be from the parallel world, but he also might not be.
"Tong Yang, I lean towards him not being from the parallel world," Ye Huai suddenly said.
"Why do you say that?"
"I checked his phone location. It's also at Erlang Mountain."
"So?"
Ye Huai said, "I also checked the transaction records of his companies. Most are with foreign virtual IPs, and the vast majority of these IPs are linked to a large overseas black market. If he were from the parallel world, in the black market transactions, he should be the Party A, actively introducing parallel world human organs into the market on a large scale. However, in the transactions, he's consistently the Party B, importing things from the market into his hospitals and sanatorium."
Hearing this, Tong Yang's gaze darkened.
"He's a beneficiary of the parallel world's organs flowing into the black market chain?"
"Correct. The kidney sources and some other organ sources at Gao Changdong's hospitals are top-notch in the capital. Although the origins are recorded clearly and in detail, the possibility of falsification cannot be ruled out. It would be best to have the police investigate further."
"Okay, I understand."
"Alright, I'll notify you if the location changes again."
"Thank you."
Quiet returned to the earpiece. Tong Yang relayed his words to Police Officers Lin, Wan, and Officer Xu. They then each called their station to request a thorough investigation into the organ sources of Gao Changdong's hospitals.
This was no small task; it would likely take considerable time.
"Boss, shouldn't the influx of parallel world human organs into the real world be a good thing?" Xu Junyue asked curiously.
"Did all those years of education go straight to the dogs?" Officer Xu glared, furious. "How can you even say something like that? It's utterly unconscionable!"
Xu Junyue pouted and rolled her eyes.
Tong Yang said, "Use your brain. Why would a parallel world let organs flow into our reality?"
"With ill intentions, obviously."
"Then why are you even asking?"
"So, after we subdue the parallel world, can we proactively ask them for organs?"
Tong Yang was speechless. "Treat the parallel world as a giant organ bank? Quite the imagination."
"Right?" Xu Junyue looked rather pleased with herself.
"Just shut up!" Police Officer Lin shot her a glare.
Police Officer Wan couldn't help but sigh. "This is probably the reason the parallel world ended up like this, right? Surely there are people there who think just like you."
Xu Junyue shrugged. "What's wrong with my idea? It's pretty good."
A few minutes later, the vehicle stopped at the foot of Erlang Mountain.
The mountain path was impassable by car, so everyone had to park by the roadside and proceed on foot.
Two street lamps lit the base of the mountain, with a few moths circling above them. Parked below was an ordinary-looking black van, a common brand.
According to Ye Huai, Gao Changdong was also on Erlang Mountain. Given his wealth, driving such a cheap car worth only a couple hundred thousand was clearly to avoid drawing attention.
"Drive the car around back," Tong Yang instructed.
"Why?"
"Don't ask too many questions. You wouldn't understand even if I told you."
"Fine." Xu Junyue shrugged and drove the car into the darkness, parking it in a spot where it wouldn't be easily noticed.
Then, Tong Yang walked over to the van. She pulled a dagger from her backpack, stabbed it into a tire, and slashed a large gash. She repeated the process, slashing all four tires.
"Boss, what are you doing?" Xu Junyue, who had just returned from parking, asked upon seeing this.
Tong Yang's expression was calm. "I'm making sure they can't run even if they want to."
Xu Junyue was stunned for a second, then gave her a thumbs-up. "Tong Yang, you're seriously like a psycho."
"Piss off."
"But what if they just return to the parallel world?"
Tong Yang sneered. "Then we chase them in and finish her off."
"However, given Liang Xi's current physical condition, she probably can't go to the parallel world."
"That's true."
"Let's go."
"Everyone, be careful. Don't make too much noise."
Although "Yan Qing" didn't know Tong Yang had already pinpointed their location, after the events before the loop, she probably wouldn't let her guard down.
The moonlight was hazy. On the mountain, a dim street lamp shone every few dozen meters. While they didn't provide much illumination, offering a sliver of light was enough.
"The mountain is so big. How long will it take us to find them? Can't President Ye just lock onto the exact location?" Xu Junyue grumbled.
Tong Yang was connected to Ye Huai via voice call, and her words were transmitted clearly into his ears.
Tong Yang said, "Xu Junyue, he says you should get your hands on a satellite instrument. He could find them even if they were buried underground."
Xu Junyue pursed her lips. "That stuff isn't easy to get."
"Then shut up," Tong Yang relayed, specifically adding, "His words."
"Alright, my bad. Can't be useful and still question our President Ye's capabilities." Xu Junyue said dismissively.
Officer Xu sneered. "So you do know you're pretty useless?"
Xu Junyue snorted. "That's because I have a useless father. A crooked beam makes for a slanted roof, you know."
Officer Xu's face darkened. "You'd better just shut up!"
Entering the lush mountain forest, everyone instinctively lightened their footsteps, holding their breath and focusing.
"Yan Qing" wasn't aware of their movements, and apart from a general area, they didn't know the specifics of "Yan Qing's" situation either.
"This isn't working. Let's split up," Police Officer Lin suggested.
Tong Yang said, "I heard there was an experimental base here decades ago. I'll head there."
"I'll go with the boss."
"Alright, then we'll search the nearby area. We'll stay in touch by phone."
"Aside from her body's healing ability, the parallel world's Yan Qing isn't much different from an ordinary person. In a one-on-one fight, she's no match for any of you."
"We understand."
Police Officer Lin made a hand gesture, signaling them to go ahead.
Officer Xu frowned and asked, "Is it okay to let those two kids go together?"
Police Officer Wan smiled and said, "Brother Xu, don't you know what your daughter is like? They'll be fine."
Officer Xu said, "I'm not worried about Xu Junyue. I wouldn't be surprised if she gets herself killed by her own stupidity someday. But Tong Yang..."
"You really don't need to worry about Tong Yang either. Didn't you hear what your daughter calls her?" Police Officer Wan rubbed the goosebumps on his shoulders in the night breeze. "Believe me, when it comes to this kind of thing, those two are more experienced than we are."
"Then let's just hope that damn girl Xu Junyue doesn't cause trouble for Tong Yang."
Police Officer Wan: "..."
After parting ways with Police Officer Lin and the other two, Tong Yang and Chu Shiyu headed towards the location of the experimental base.
They weren't familiar with Erlang Mountain, so Ye Huai provided directions through the earpiece.
"The parallel world's Yan Qing can't move around easily with Liang Xi in tow. She'll likely find a safe spot to stop. The only place in Erlang Mountain where they can rest is probably the experimental base," Tong Yang whispered.
"Then why didn't we ask Sister Lin and the others to come with us?"
"I'm not entirely sure."
"Oh..."
The mountain path was inevitably littered with dry branches and leaves. Even though Tong Yang tread very lightly, she couldn't completely avoid making noise. Fortunately, the sounds of insects and birds in the mountains made their own noises less conspicuous.
The deeper they went into the mountains, the sparser the street lamps became, until finally they could only rely on moonlight to see the path underfoot.
Although they carried phones, using them for light would be too conspicuous in the dark.
Passing through a dense thicket, a strand of light glowed in the darkness not far away, like the sole lighthouse on a calm, waveless sea, instantly catching both of their attention.
"Is that the experimental base?" Xu Junyue asked quietly.
"Yeah, probably." Tong Yang nodded.
Ye Huai said Erlang Mountain had been slated for development for years, but even after over a decade, construction hadn't started. So the mountain was pretty much deserted, and it was even less likely anyone lived there. The only structure was the experimental base left behind from decades ago.
Yet now, the experimental base had lights on, which was enough to prove that at the very least, the contractor Gao Changdong must be there.
If he was there, then "Yan Qing" and the other were definitely there too.
"Be careful."
"Got it."
The two didn't choose to approach the experimental base from the front. Instead, using the thicket for cover, they silently circled around to the back of the room where the light was on.
If Tong Yang just wanted to control them, she wouldn't have forced "Yan Qing" into the loop earlier. Compared to controlling them to change future incidents, Tong Yang wanted to understand the reason and details behind "Yan Qing's" loops more.
Reaching the window of the lit room, Tong Yang signaled Xu Junyue to crouch down. They moved under the cover of the lush tree branches overhead, approaching the wall beside the window.
The two tall figures slipped through the gaps between the tree branches without causing much disturbance.
"Are you sure no one else will come in here?"
The voice of the Yan Qing from the parallel world sounded in the room, accompanied by the "splashing" sound of running water.
"This is considered my private territory. Almost no one comes here, rest assured."
Immediately afterward, an unfamiliar man's voice replied.
"You?" Yan Qing's tone was gloomy, seeming to take offense.
"Not you, not you, it's 'you all'." The man chuckled dryly.
"Qingqing... my body... did you get it back..."
Liang Xi's voice was intermittent, still devoid of inflection.
"Yes! I'll help you piece your body back together right now. Once your wounds have healed a bit and you can move on your own, we'll go find Yan Qing, okay?"
"Okay..."
"Qingqing... my face is gone... I want Teacher Tong's face... I like her face... give it to me... give it to me..."
Yan Qing comforted her: "Have you forgotten? There's also a Tong Yang in my world. I'll peel her face off for you, okay?"
"Okay... okay..."
"Then you, all of you, rest here for a few days. No one should disturb you during this time. I'll take my leave now."
"No, you stay here. That damned Tong Yang might find this place. She's a demon. You can't leave us here!" The parallel world Yan Qing's voice was filled with hatred, as if she wished she could grind Tong Yang's flesh and blood to dust.
"But, you said yourself that Tong Yang has discovered the secret of the parallel worlds and is in contact with the police. If I'm found with you, wouldn't my identity be exposed?"
The man speaking was probably
Gao Changdong. Sure enough, it was him who helped "Yan Qing" and the other escape.
"Expose your identity? What identity? You're just a dog working for the main world! If you dare leave, I'll definitely tell Daddy and have him kill you! You'll never get the gene serum!"
"Alright, alright, I won't leave. I'll be right next door. If there are any problems, tell me anytime."
"Why go next door?" The parallel world Yan Qing's tone was dark. "Are you afraid of Xixi?"
"N-no, of course not. I'm a grown man, I can't very well share a room with two young ladies."
"Yan Qing" seemed convinced by his words. "Go out then. Keep an eye on the surroundings. If there's any movement, take us away immediately."
"Alright, I'll listen to you, Miss Yan."
Gao Changdong left the room and closed the door.
"Psycho..." Xu Junyue muttered under her breath.
Did she have no idea what kind of monster Liang Xi had become?
Any normal person would be terrified of her!
"Qingqing... help me quickly... it hurts so much..."
"Okay, just wait a moment. Let me wash off the dirt."
Tong Yang signaled Xu Junyue to stay quiet and quietly peered into the room.
The interior was brightly lit. "Yan Qing" stood with her back to the window in front of a dissection table. A body, of which only the lower half was clearly visible, lay on the table. The right faucet was running, and "Yan Qing" was washing a mass of pale, fleshy matter.
The flesh was so thoroughly shredded that some pieces were washed down the drain by the water. "Yan Qing" had to fish them out and rinse them again.
"Wah..." Liang Xi let out a few choked sobs.
"Yan Qing" laughed softly. "Xixi, don't worry. In a little while, your bones will mend. Although the rotten flesh won't heal completely, most of it will be just like before. I'll stick these pieces back on for you too. I'll definitely make you just like you were."
"Thank you, Qingqing."
"No need to thank me. We're best friends, after all."
"We... are the best... of friends..."
"Qingqing, I miss Mom."
"Hmm? It's okay. My world has your mom too. She should still be alive."
"Mom... Dad..."
The parallel world Yan Qing patiently comforted her: "They didn't love Xixi, so I let them die in Xixi's place. The Liang Dad and Liang Mom in my world will definitely love you very much."
"Mom... why... Dad... why..."
"Why am I the only one who ended up like this..."
"It's okay. I'll make you just like before."
"Qingqing... can I die with Mom and Dad..."
"No, we agreed long ago, didn't we? We'll be best friends for a lifetime. How can you go back on your word?"
Liang Xi cried helplessly. "Qingqing... I was wrong... I don't want to die..."
"I know. In the future, you'll become like me. No one can kill us. I'll fulfill all your wishes. So, stay alive with me, Xixi."
"You are my only friend."
Liang Xi's sobs gradually faded. "Okay... okay..."
"I hate everyone prettier than me... I want their faces... help me kill them, okay..."
"Okay. Once you're better, we'll go kill them together."
Xu Junyue rolled her eyes. Who wanted to listen to their sappy "sisterly bond" here? Kill whoever they want? Did they think they were the King of Hell? Two psychos.
No, wait.
One and a half psychos!
Tong Yang withdrew her gaze, lowered her head thoughtfully, and saw Xu Junyue frantically making eye signals at her.
Xu Junyue pointed at the one-and-a-half persons inside the window and made a slitting motion across her throat.
Tong Yang shook her head slightly, signaling her to keep calm.
Xu Junyue's eyes widened in disbelief. She took out her phone, which was on silent, typed a line of text, and showed it to Tong Yang.
"Don't tell me you're moved by their sisterly affection?"
Tong Yang shot her a look, feeling that the three people inside and out together couldn't muster half a brain.
She snatched Xu Junyue's phone, her fingers swiping quickly across the screen. Then she locked it, handed it back, made a gesture for her to stay put, and got up to leave.
Xu Junyue watched her with a puzzled expression but remained in place without moving.
Now that she knew only these three people were in the place, Tong Yang acted much more boldly.
Xu Junyue sat bored by the window, wondering what on earth Tong Yang was planning.
She sat for about five minutes when a phone ringtone suddenly pierced the quiet environment.
Xu Junyue, caught off guard, jumped in fright. The phone she had put on silent before entering was ringing, Tong Yang's name displayed on the screen.
"Crap! The boss is screwing me over!" Xu Junyue cursed, instinctively looking up to immediately see a head appearing above, eyes fixed directly on her.
"Hi." Xu Junyue raised a hand and greeted the other party.
"Yan Qing" stared wide-eyed, her eyes bloodshot. At the same time, the sound of a door being pushed open came from behind. She turned around warily to see Tong Yang walking in leisurely.
"Hi." Tong Yang mimicked Xu Junyue's tone and also greeted her.
"Haunting me like a ghost!" the parallel world Yan Qing cursed.
Tong Yang twirled a dagger between her fingers, walked straight to the dissection table, and looked down at the body lying on it.
Before "Yan Qing" entered the cycle, Tong Yang stabbed Liang Xi and then forced "Yan Qing" into the cycle, not only wanting to know the timing of her cycles but also to conduct an experiment.
When Tong Yang saw the knife wound she had left on Liang Xi not long ago had not fully healed, the corner of her mouth lifted.
"Just as I thought. No matter how many cycles pass, the wounds remain on Liang Xi and don't disappear. No wonder there were traces of Liang Xi's tissue on the tires at the car crash scene."
"Teacher Tong..."
Tong Yang narrowed her eyes, using the dagger to slice open the gradually healing flesh on Liang Xi's body, and said, "Are you talking to me?"
Tong Yang's tone was indescribable: "I don't have a student like you."
"T-Teacher Tong... I'm Liang Xi... I am Liang Xi..."
"Yan Qing" gritted her teeth, glaring at Tong Yang. Outside the window, Xu Junyue was also trying to climb in. Unlike others from the parallel world, she had grown up in the First District, had never experienced slaughter, carried an identity card, and no one would harm her. Apart from her body's ability to heal after being injected with the superior gene serum, in terms of combat strength, she was absolutely no match for Tong Yang and the other.
"Yan Qing" retreated to a corner, watching Tong Yang warily.
However, Tong Yang's attention wasn't on her.
"Liang Xi?" Tong Yang frowned, feigning confusion. "Are you Liang Xi?"
"The Liang Xi in my memory is a human. And you? You're just a monster."
"Shut up!" The Yan Qing from the parallel world stood in the corner, glaring viciously at Tong Yang. She couldn't defeat Tong Yang and needed to find a way to call Gao Changdong over.
Tong Yang seemed to read her mind, reminding her, "Don't waste your energy. That guy surnamed Gao has already been killed by me."
"Yan Qing" was stunned for a moment, then bared her teeth and said, "Tong Yang, you are a haunting demon! I haven't gone looking for Yan Qing's trouble, so why are you still chasing after me?"
Tong Yang sneered and asked, "Are you playing the victim now?"
"Let's not even mention how many people from the real world you've killed, how much trouble you've caused me. You used my hands to eliminate all the people in the entire First District—those who had completed the self-destruction game to enter the safe zone. Tell me, between the two of us, who is more like a demon?"
No matter which world's Yan Qing, she was always only fifteen years old. And in that environment, she had been protected too well by her devilish family, which was why she was so foolish, using people's fear of the unknown to incite chaos.
Once she encountered someone like Tong Yang, what could she do?
Could she only offer futile resistance like she was doing now?
Looking at "Yan Qing's" expression of resentment and fear, Tong Yang let out a low laugh.
"Yan Qing, I almost pity you."
"You're not even as good as those order enforcers, those who enjoy killing. At least they wouldn't show a shred of fear in front of an enemy."
"Yan Qing" was terrified of Tong Yang from the bottom of her heart. Her body pressed tightly against the wall, and she swallowed unconsciously. "What do you want to do? Do you want us to leave the shadow world? Fine, I can leave. I can also persuade my parents to stop invading the real world. Once Xi Xi's body is a little better, I'll take her away immediately!"
Tong Yang said meaningfully, "Do you think I would believe you?"
"After you used and deceived me?"
The girl stood in the corner, but her gaze kept falling on Liang Xi.
Tong Yang seemed able to see right through her. Leaning her hands on the edge of the dissection table, she tilted her body forward slightly and asked with a smile, "In your eyes, am I that kind of a good person?"
The girl pressed her lips into a tight line, like a cat with its fur standing on end, furious but not daring to speak.
With the precedent of Police Officer Wan, Tong Yang guessed it shouldn't be difficult for "Yan Qing" to escape.
Because whether in the car accident that happened on September 27th, 2024, or the one in 2026, she was inside the vehicle involved. There was no need to guess whether she and Liang Xi could survive the 2026 chain car accident; Tong Yang believed they not only survived but emerged unscathed.
"Yan Qing" had a way to escape, and could even take Liang Xi with her.
Yet now she was just standing in the corner, glaring furiously at Tong Yang. The reason was undoubtedly that she was afraid of Tong Yang.
"What's wrong? Don't you have a way to escape? Keep running then." Tong Yang pressed the dagger against Liang Xi's calf, gently stroking it.
"Teacher Tong... I'm not a monster... I'm not a monster..."
"I told you, I don't have a student like you." Tong Yang chuckled darkly and told Xu Junyue to pick up the broken mirror fragments from the corner.
"Look, what are you if not a monster?"
"Ah! No! I don't want to! I'm not a monster!"
"Tong Yang, stop it!" the girl shouted angrily.
Tong Yang held the mirror shard in her hand, lightly sliding it across the skin of Liang Xi's lower body, leaving a bloody mark.
"Didn't you want my face?"
"Didn't you want to kill the others?"
Tong Yang seemed to be deliberately tormenting them.
The Yan Qing from the parallel world was one of the few people who had made her suffer and then simply walked away. Tong Yang wasn't someone who liked suffering either; the pain of having her scalp cut off by her own hand was still fresh in her memory.
The other party was younger than her? So what?
Does being young mean you can do whatever you want?
As for Liang Xi, regardless of who she used to be, she had deceived Tong Yang together with "Yan Qing," and in the future, she would join "Yan Qing" in causing the chain car accident, dragging Tong Le and Yang Lin into it.
Tong Yang looked up at the other girl, puzzled. "Why aren't you running? When I was in the First District, didn't you escape right from under the police officers' noses?"
"If you don't leave now, are you worried I'll hurt this monster?"
The girl's hands hung at her sides, fists clenched tightly, her eyes filled with deep-seated fear, like a startled bird.
"Let me guess the reason? Even if you enter the cycle, you can't change the fate of someone who is about to die?"
"H-how do you know about the cycles?"
Tong Yang said leisurely, "Guess."
"Yan Qing" did indeed have a way to escape.
She didn't know how incredibly resourceful Tong Yang was, to know so many of her secrets.
But she had an intuition: if she took Liang Xi and left now, Tong Yang would absolutely leave an indelible wound on Liang Xi before they completely vanished.
"She's from the real world. You wouldn't hurt her." The girl feigned calmness, seemingly harboring a probing intent.
"A person?" Tong Yang said, surprised. "Look at her. Can she still be called a person?"
"I... I am a person... Teacher Tong... I am Liang Xi..."
"In my perception, she is no longer human."
Tong Yang smiled gently. "Even if she could barely still be called a 'person,' do you really think I would go easy on her?"
Tong Yang used the dagger to slice open Liang Xi's skin. "See, she doesn't even bleed properly."
Intense hatred flashed in the girl's eyes as she said sharply, "Tong Yang, what's the difference between you and us?!"
Tong Yang remained composed and unruffled. "There is no difference."
"If we allow you to freely enter the real world, sooner or later we will become just like you."
"But do you think that day will ever come?"
Tong Yang's gaze was deep and firm, as if containing boundless power.
"Yan Qing" looked into her eyes and suddenly felt she was right. That day would never come.
The existence of Tong Yang in the shadow world made it impossible for her to envision a future where the main world controlled this place.
Because Tong Yang would not allow the main world to do so.
Because we cannot get past Tong Yang.
—We will fail.
We can never kill Tong Yang.
In that instant, this thought emerged in "Yan Qing's" mind and took deep root in her heart.
Tong Yang is terrifying.
Truly, too terrifying.
Even though she hadn't actually caused any harm to the main world, her mere presence, just standing there, made "Yan Qing" feel they could never cross the barrier that Tong Yang represented, standing between the two worlds.
"I... I..."
The girl trembled, shrinking into the corner, at a loss for what to do.
Xu Junyue stood with her arms crossed behind Tong Yang. For a moment, she shared the same thought as "Yan Qing."
Undoubtedly, Tong Yang was extremely clever, able to accurately find "Yan Qing's" weakness. She no longer used forceful methods but instead stepped on the cracks in the other's heart. Her composed demeanor, calm as if narrating something trivial, generated a pressure that easily shattered "Yan Qing's" psychological defenses.
Xu Junyue couldn't help but sigh. If Tong Yang truly came from a parallel world with the goal of invading the real world, that would be a truly tricky situation.
Perhaps she wasn't overwhelmingly powerful, but what she displayed was like an insurmountable mountain to "Yan Qing."
Dealing with a simple-minded person, Tong Yang was confident in her heart.
She had simply chosen a method that only worked on "Yan Qing."
That being said, Tong Yang herself wasn't one hundred percent sure; it was mainly to intimidate the Yan Qing from the parallel world.
"What do you want?"
After a long while, "Yan Qing" slumped her shoulders, completely losing the will to resist.
It felt like falling into an airtight net, with no room to struggle.
Tong Yang's expression remained unchanged, but inwardly she was surprised the other had given in so quickly.
Tong Yang's silence intensified her unease.
"Tong Yang, what do you want? I'll take Xi Xi and leave right now. I'll never set foot in the real world again, okay?"
Hearing this, Xu Junyue raised an eyebrow.
She hadn't expected "Yan Qing" to be so sensible, considering she had always referred to them as people from the shadow world.
Tong Yang thought for a moment and asked, "Do you treat Liang Xi as your doll? Refusing to let her go even in death?"
"Nonsense! Xi Xi and I are friends!"
"It's good that you genuinely want to save her." Tong Yang nodded.
Tong Yang put the dagger away and pulled up a chair to sit in front of the dissection table.
"Don't be nervous. Now we can sit down and have a proper talk."
Xu Junyue, meanwhile, circled the dissection table, curiously examining Liang Xi's body.
"What do you want to talk about?"
"The magnetic field."
Tong Yang fell silent for a moment, choosing an entry point.
Meng Xiao had once mentioned the magnetic field. Parallel world humans were affected by it. The reason she couldn't reveal too much information about the parallel world to Tong Yang was also because of the magnetic field.
"It was originally created by First World humans to control the main world. The specifics, I don't know."
Tong Yang nodded. She probably wasn't lying; she didn't seem like someone who knew the secrets of the parallel world.
"Does the magnetic field energy affect you?"
"Yeah, it seems to amplify extreme emotions. I'm not sure."
Tong Yang narrowed her eyes. "You aren't affected by the magnetic field energy because you've been injected with the gene serum."
"So what if I have?"
Perhaps because Tong Yang's attitude had softened, "Yan Qing" regained a bit of her arrogance.
Tong Yang looked at her with a faint, ambiguous smile, saying nothing.
"Yan Qing" seemed to remember something, her face falling as she added, "Yes, but only those injected with the high-quality gene serum are immune to the magnetic field's effects."
"So, you can speak freely without being influenced by the parallel world." Tong Yang narrowed her eyes dangerously. "It seems you've deceived me once again."
"Yan Qing" guiltily lowered her head, mumbling, "Then ask again."
"What are the conditions for you to enter the parallel world?"
"Magnetic field power."
Tong Yang raised her chin, not particularly surprised, but the technological level of the parallel world was even more advanced than she had imagined.
"Specifically, how is it done?"
"There's nothing specific to do. As long as the magnetic field power exists, we can come to the real world anytime, anywhere. However, because of the existence of time anchors, a maximum of five people can enter the real world per magnetic field cycle."
"How long is one magnetic field cycle?"
"The time isn't fixed. The shortest is half an hour, the longest is six months."
Tong Yang fell into thought. It seemed the time anchor on herself was inextricably linked to the parallel world's magnetic field power.
"Once in the real world, is there a time limit?"
The Yan Qing from the parallel world said, "For those injected with the high-quality gene serum, there isn't. They can choose to stay in the real world indefinitely. Others need to return before the next magnetic field cycle begins. However, the higher-ups' order is not to expose their identities before killing the time anchor. So, even those with the high-quality serum, if they haven't found a suitable identity, will ultimately return to the main world."
"No wonder the parallel world was reluctant to use the high-quality gene serum in a trade with the Meng family. So the high-quality serum is reserved for those who successfully invade the real world." Tong Yang smiled faintly.
"What about the fifty people sent to the real world since childhood?"
The parallel world Yan Qing shook her head. "That's classified. I don't know."
This information was already very sufficient for Tong Yang.
No wonder the people from the parallel world were so eager to kill her. Her existence truly was like a barrier standing between the two worlds. With her here, they could never march in unimpeded.
"Then what are the conditions for actively bringing us into the parallel world?"
She had been suddenly taken to the parallel world several times already.
"I don't know that either. It seems to require preparation in advance. I'm not lying! I really don't know!"
But, presumably, it was also inextricably linked to the magnetic field power.
Having understood the reason for their crossing the world barrier, it was time for the part Tong Yang was most interested in.
"Why are you able to enter the time loop?"
The parallel world Yan Qing pursed her lips, her expression becoming very complex.
"Because, I am the main world's time anchor."
Both Tong Yang and Xu Junyue were stunned.
"What?!"
